9 Trinity Evening Prayer

The First
Lesson
Esther 6
1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to
bring the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read
before the king.
2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana
and Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the
door, who sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.
3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to
Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered
unto him, There is nothing done for him.
4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come
into the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the
king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for
him.
5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth
in the court. And the king said, Let him come in.6 So Haman
came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto
the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought
in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more
than to myself?
7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king delighteth
to honour,
8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear,
and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal
which is set upon his head:
9 And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of
one of the king's most noble princes, that they may array the
man withal whom the king delighteth to honour, and bring him
on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before
him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth
to honour.
10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel
and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai
the Jew, that sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of
all that thou hast spoken.
11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai,
and brought him on horseback through the street of the city,
and proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man
whom the king delighteth to honour.
12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted
to his house mourning, and having his head covered.
13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing
that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his
wife unto him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before
whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against
him, but shalt surely fall before him.
14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's
chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that
Esther had prepared.

1st Lesson Questions -
What was Haman's error? Is it inherent in Haman's wondering contained in verse 6? What's the sin? RESOLVE.

The Second
Lesson
Romans 2:1-16
1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself;
for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth
against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment
of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
thee to repentance?5 But
after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself
wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
judgment of God;6 Who
will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory
and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth,
but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth
evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good,
to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without
law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by
the law;13 (For
not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers
of the law shall be justified.
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature
the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are
a law unto themselves:
15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their
conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean
while accusing or else excusing one another;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus
Christ according to my gospel.

2nd Lesson Questions - Is my heart soft and repentant or hard and impenitent? (V. 5) Do I believe that God will render to every man according to his deeds? (V. 6) Do I live my life based upon my belief? Which am I more often - a "hearer" or "doer" of the law? (V. 13) RESOLVE.